PROGRESSION: The Importance of Bad Ideas, Conscious Leadership, and How to Create a Life Worth Living
November 2020
The week of Thanksgiving has arrived, and while it may feel different than most years, I hope we can all take time to express gratitude for the things that have blessed our lives. Wishing you and yours the best during this time. đđ
Books, articles, etc.
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership (Book)
The model at the core of this book is fairly simple. Imagine a horizontal line. At any given moment, we are either above or below that line. When we are below the line, we are in a defensive and closed posture, committed to being right and the world acts upon us. When we are above the line, we are curious, wanting to learn. We are authoring our lives. Conscious leaders lead from above the line, and the book covers 15 commitments (responsibility, curiosity, candor, etc.) where we can choose to lead either consciously or unconsciously. Â
The authors--Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, Kaley Warner Klemp--found in their research that the four most important predictors of career success are: 1) Self-Awareness, 2) Learning Agility, 3) Communication, 4) Influence. Hard skills will always have their place, but I found it interesting that these four predictors are all soft skills. Overall I found the book to be really insightful and appreciate John Mayfield (who we featured in a Career Q&A) for recommending.Â
Career Clarity by Groove (Experience)
Most career conversations fixate on the question "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" My friend Ryan Seamons has designed a different kind of experience to figure out what matters most in your career. Even as someone who has thought a lot about my career, I found this approach insightful. It gave me space and a framework to think about some motivators differently than I had in the past to help me make decisions and have confidence in my plan moving forward. Itâs also helped me have more productive career conversations with my team. Worth checking out for anyone wanting more fulfillment out of work or more confidence in your direction.
The Importance of Bad Ideas by Seth Godin (Quote)
âPeople who have trouble coming up with good ideas, if they're telling you the truth, will tell you they don't have very many bad ideas. But people who have plenty of good ideas, if they're telling the truth, will say they have even more bad ideas. So the goal isn't to get good ideas; the goal is to get bad ideas. Because once you get enough bad ideas, then some good ones have to show up.â
Great quote from Seth and an important reminder to set aside our inner critic and keep creating and ideating.
Observations
How to Create a Life Worth Living (Episode 18)
In this episode of the Not Your Parentsâ Workplace Show, I interview Kevin Delaney and dive into his book, A Life Worth Living: Finding Your Purpose and Daring to Live the Life You've Imagined. Kevin is a VP at LinkedIn where he leads Learning and Development. Prior to that, he was an HR exec at VMware and several other companies. He's a former colleague of mine, and someone I consider to be a mentor and friend.Â
In our conversation, we discuss his lessons from a serious health challenge, his approach to balancing annual goals with daily rituals, his unique perspective on dealing with setbacks, and, of course, how to create a life worth living. Kevin is one of my all-time favorite people and someone who truly walks the talk. I hope you enjoy our conversation. You can listen to the full conversation here and read his book here.
How to Build a Mindset that Prepares You for Everyday Challenges (Episode 17)
Several years ago, someone who I thought I could trust did something that hurt me. I was frustrated and angry. I was hurt. This person's actions blindsided me and I wasn't able to focus or be productive for the rest of the day. Wisdom from the Stoics--Marcus Aurelius in particular--got me back on my feet. In this episode, I discuss how a simple step, a mindset really, will help us conquer the day-to-day challenges we're going to face. I also share the daily habits that help me perform at my best.
Gratitudes
Iâve found power in regularly expressing gratitude so Iâll continue the habit. Today, Iâm grateful for physical books. I love kindle and audible as much as the next person, but thereâs something unique about shutting down all tech and reading in complete silence and stillness. I did just that a few times this month. Each time I reemerged and saw my challenges from a new, fresh perspective.Â
Recently, Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, issued a 7-day gratitude challenge that Iâve accepted. You can learn more about that here.Â
If you've read anything worth sharing I'd love to hear about it. And do let me know if there's anything I can do to help you. Â
Nathan
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